Franco Colapinto Triggers Red Flag at British Grand Prix Qualifying

Silverstone, England – Franco Colapinto caused a red flag during qualifying for the British Grand Prix on July 5. The 22-year-old driver miraculously managed to keep his Alpine car out of the wall at the final corner of the Silverstone Circuit, but his attempt to continue was short-lived.

After getting back on track, Colapinto pulled over at the pit exit with a lap still to complete. Team rules required him to stop the car if it was not in a safe condition, which led to the red flag being waved and the timing board stopping with 6:49 remaining in Q1.

“I lost the rears,” Colapinto said over the team radio while apologizing for the incident. His team principal, Flavio Briatore, was visibly distressed, with his head in his hands.

Colapinto, who is currently under intense scrutiny at Team Enstone, has yet to score a point this season. He was originally brought in to replace Jack Doohan for a five-round stint, but his performance has not matched expectations. Briatore has emphasized the need for Colapinto to “be fast” and “not crash.”

This incident marked Colapinto’s second qualifying crash in six rounds, the first occurring at Imola on his return weekend. The driver has also exited Q1 three times, matching Doohan’s exits in the same number of rounds.

With pressure mounting, reports suggest that Valtteri Bottas could be considered for Colapinto’s seat alongside Pierre Gasly if performances do not improve.